I feel like that title pretty much sums up my life as of lately. Recent various unexpected situations and lingering decisions have been reminding me of this and giving me the chance to continue realizing this reality. And of course, along with all this, I’m working on patience, trusting through faith, and finding peace in knowing God has a plan and a purpose for everything. I’m also working to find my comfort in the fact that, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrew 13:8)
This year has gone so smoothly. I have been continually amazed at how God has and is working things out, even the smallest of details, beginning from when I first was in contact with ECA and all the way through the year. It has been a tremendous year, with so much learning and growing as well as so much joy. In early March when I made the decision to stay a second year I became even more excited about my role at ECA. After making the decision to continue at ECA, I felt a huge weight drop off my shoulders. I was relieved and excited that I knew what the next year would hold and I felt confident that I was where the Lord wanted me.
But, just when I thought I had everything figured out, and it would all be easy-peasy/downhill from here, some thing started changing and the end of this year hasn’t exactly gone like the first part or like I’d pictured it might.
Soon after I made the decision to continue at ECA for another year, I began to think that maybe there was more than just that decision to make concerning the next year. I began to feel like I should think/pray about the possibility of moving up to third grade with my current students.(Our school sees a lot of change in its teaching staff, seeing as some teachers come for just one or two years. It happens that there is a hole in the third grade spot for next year.) I met with my principal for the first time in early April to get her thoughts and see if it would even be a possibility. We talked together about the pros and cons, which there are many of for both sides, and decided that I should continue to think and pray about it and we’d talk again later on.Anyway, here we are two months later, and the decision still isn’t made. It’s really been weighing on me, especially as this year is coming to an end and it would be nice to know so that I know how to end out the year, clean up my classroom, and possibly move to another. I don’t know why it’s been so hard to decide or why it’s taking so long, but I have just felt like it is a decision I need to make carefully, seriously, and prayerfully. As I have been trying to seek God’s will with this, it has become frustrating that it didn’t seem like I was getting an answer or peace about either option. Also, in talking with different people I kept getting such mixed responses. Then, in talking with a friend, the question arose as to whether or not (or how much) it even matters to God, after all, I would be serving Him in whichever grade I ended up in. I’m still not sure what exactly God is teaching me through this, or if there is a reason why this has been such a drawn-out thing. But, I have been feeling much more at peace with this this past week, and I think I will be ready with a decision this coming week. You can also be praying for the teacher that fills the spot I do not take, as that is the last teacher spot still needing filled. I am excited to see all these pieces come together. I am sure God will amaze me!
My current, second grade class.
Then there is home. Let me first start by explaining that I live with two other teachers. We are living in a house that belongs to a German missionary family. They went home, back to Germany, for the year, so ECA filled their house with teachers. It seemed like a win-win and blessing for all involved: the house came fully furnished, a big blessing for us teachers, and we were helping the German family out by covering rent and bills. Anyway, it was the perfect set-up. The family would return in the summer and we would use their house until then. But, in the beginning of April, Surprise!, the family arrived in Bogota, explaining that they would no longer be returning to work in Colombia and they needed to sell their things. So, for the next 6 weeks they worked at our house to unpack their boxes, sorted things, and put everything up for sale. It was a big task because they had been living here for about 20 years, I think. (And, another interesting thing is that they never actually lived in the house and they didn’t even move their things into the house. They found the house just before going home and liked it so much they decided to sign a contract to rent it to have for when they returned. The school moved their things in for them just before we came.) Anyway, it did bring some stress into our lives as it was so unexpected and we had to get used to no longer having any common living space and without most of our furniture and kitchen appliances and supplies. Then there was talk that the housing contract would end and we would have to move out by the end of May. On top of that we have been fighting all year with maintaining the house…broken water heater, broken oven, no working lights in the living room and dining room, and a really badly leaking kitchen faucet (resulting in high water bills)…mostly it just seems that the house is really old and in need of a lot of attention, but it is a really hard and slow process to get landlords to make repairs in Colombia.So, in short, our housing situation has brought a lot of stress and reasons to worry and complain, but it has all worked out. In fact, it also brought many moments of laughter and memories in our house. I believe that this situation has brought my roommates and I closer together which has been really neat. My favorite memory of this time was when my roommates and I were all gathered in my bedroom, for lack of much other space to be, laughing and venting about our situation. Then, in walks one of my student’s father and mother! They were there to look at my furniture to see if they wanted to buy it! It was such a surprise and a really funny moment. They didn’t know I lived there and I certainly didn’t expect to see them (or I might have chosen to clean up my room a bit)! Also, the school and other people worked hard to see that we got replacements for all necessary furniture and appliances. Oh, and we no longer have to move out of our house. God has worked it all out for good and in His own perfect timing. PTL!
Top: Our cute "new" little aqua replacement fridge beside the one that sold!
Middle: My new bedroom furniture.
Bottom: Things being unpacked, sorted, and re-boxed in the living room.
Also, while I was dealing with these things I was also dealing with a unique, difficult situation at school which was also weighing on me. It didn’t involve me directly, but it involved a few people who I am really close to. Also, through this situation I began to realize some hard truths and struggles concerning my own self. I struggle with confrontation, and I hate it so much that I seriously avoid it. No matter how I feel, I’ll sugar-coat things to keep everyone happy. I’ve come to realize that this often does more harm than good. Sometimes what is really needed is boldness and good honest truth. It is my job, and my friends’ jobs, to keep one another accountable and to challenge one another to be Christ-like, which often doesn’t mean telling people only what they want to hear. It’s easy to seek that from people as well as give that to people, but that does not promote growth.
Lastly, the end of the year has brought about a whirlwind of emotions. Working in a place where people are constantly coming and going can be really emotionally draining. The kind of community I am a part of here is so unique and amazing, and also challenging, due to it being multi-cultural and so closely knit with people living and working together. It is actually a lot like MIH (the international house I lived in during college). They are both such amazing, unique communities, but that also means they bring unique challenges. The end of the year is always so hard, with so many people making decisions about what’s next and getting ready to head in so many different directions. Then there are those who do stay, left wondering how next year will be different. Please pray for me and my co-workers as we say good-bye to friends and prepare for a new, different year, with different roommates, co-workers, and friends next year (there are 20 new people coming--some couples, some singles).
Anyway, with everything I explained above, during the last quarter I began to feel like my whole word was beginning to crash down on me. I was having a lot of trouble sorting my emotions and was asking God a lot of questions. It’s only now, while heading into the calm after the storm, that I am realizing that yes, it is scary not knowing the future, and it can be frustrating to wait for answers, but it’s also so exciting to see what God has in store. I just cannot let the emotions of the moment control and rule my life and attitude! I have seen God at work in so many ways in mapping out my life. I can see His hand in the smallest of details. It is so awesome to see things play out and to realize how it’s all been a part of a bigger plan. I am learning not get caught up in the present and the unseen future. God always works everything out for good.
What’s Happening in Second Grade?
Well, first of all, I have a blast with my students. They entertain me, surprise me, and amaze me daily…sometimes with intention and sometimes not. It is especially hard not to laugh at their English word choice sometimes, and hey, they have laughed at me the few times I have tried to speak Spanish in front of them…it’s all about having fun and learning together! J There are two adjectives that absolutely tickle me pink when my students use them…’super’ and ‘delicious.’ I think it’s because they are used differently in Spanish than English, like: “It’s super!” (after seeing the finished tent we built in our room) and “It’s delicious!” (describing the feeling of a swimming pool on a hot day).
It has also been so neat to see them grow academically, personally, and spiritually this year and to see them apply what we’ve learned. I really enjoyed teaching about dinosaurs in Science this quarter (something that I didn’t particularly like, and actually didn’t make much sense to me as a kid). This was our biggest topic in Science in which our personal beliefs come into play. We got to talk about discernment and learning how to filter the things we read and match them with the Bible in order to draw our own conclusions. We cannot just believe everything we hear or read.The students had fun reading through an assortment of dinosaur books and finding things that we as Christians don’t believe, such as how long ago they lived (or how old the world is) and how they died off.
Each grade at our school is matched with a ministry. The second grade ministry is called Children’s Vision. It is a home and school for homeless or at-risk children. First semester we visited them, doing a Bible lesson, craft, and game. Then we spent time throughout the year writing letters to them and praying for them. A few weeks ago they were supposed to visit our school and we were going to provide a Pizza lunch and activities for them. At the last minute they weren’t able to come. Of course this was a huge disappointment for the students (and myself) as we had planned for it and looked forward to it for a long time, but it turned out to be a good day none-the-less. We were instead able to bless about 20 people on our school’s staff (maintenance, cleaning crew, etc.) with a Pizza lunch and Bible lesson as well as time to spend together, show appreciation, and get to know one another better.
Also, one day during a hail storm and flash flooding at school, many of my students became frightened (we were eating lunch and it was really loud on the plastic roofing in the cafeteria).Then walking back to our classrooms they saw how the water was piling up and going into some rooms of the school. They began to worry about the school and about the safety of their families.Another teacher led my students in a special time of prayer in our classroom during their regular recess time, and eventually calmness settled among them again. My students were also able to see the example of older students at our school willingly coming together to help in any way, some even sacrificing their lunch time and getting wet and cold. It was definitely a learning experience. And, on a positive note, we have seen some pretty awesome rainbows lately (which actually lines right up with our Bible curriculum…God is faithful to all His promises!).
Top: Emptying water out of the auditorium.
Second: Flooding in the courtyards and adjacent rooms.
Third: High schoolers helping to collect water in trashcans outside the office.
Bottom: A rainbow seen outside the elementary wing...look how low it is!
This week we memorized John 8:51—“I Tell You the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” I thought this verse was so fitting in this time of so much speculation around the world about the end of the world. Pray that my students (and I) will keep the verses that we have memorized all year hidden in our hearts, to be pulled out whenever there is someone that could benefit from us sharing them with them, or to remind ourselves of the truths of the Bible.
FYI--Student statistics for my class:
20 second graders
3 students know three languages
3 students have one native English speaking parent and one native Spanish speaking parent
15 students have siblings also at ECA
6 students have parents who work at our school
9 students have parents in ministry/missions work
On My Heart Lately…
A big thing that has been on my mind/heart a lot lately is how much the United States/Americans are put up on a pedestal in the eyes of other countries. Americans are definitely treated very differently in Colombia. Also, because you are American, certain things are assumed about you, like you must have lots of money and you must have had an easy life and so many opportunities and so many things. The American culture and lifestyle is regarded so highly and is so sought after. Light hair, skin, and eye colors are so sought after and even represent beauty and wealth to Colombians. It really makes me sad, not only because I think Colombia is wonderful and should hold tightly to what makes them them, but also because of all the sin I see in America. We produce so much un-Godly media which ends up around the world. I got really upset thinking about all of this while traveling on a bus. They put on a movie to entertain us, but the movie was very loud, rated R, and had explicit sex, violence, and language (and there were young kids on board). Also, the bus guy thought he’d be nice and put on the English subtitles for me. I felt so disgusted being on that bus, yet there was no out, except to try and force myself to go to sleep and to pray for all the eyes/ears viewing this. I felt ashamed of America and sad that this is what we have to show for ourselves and represent ourselves with to other countries. Then a friend and I came across a TV show called “Bridal Plasty” (American show airing on a channel on a Colombian TV). The idea of the show is to have soon-to-be brides compete to win different plastic surgeries of their dreams. When a bride gets kicked of the show, they say to her, “You’ll still have your wedding, it just won’t be perfect.” The bride who makes it to the end has the “opportunity of a lifetime” to become the “perfect” bride by getting all the plastic surgery that she could ever want. I think my jaw was to the floor the whole time I watched. I couldn’t believe anyone would make such a show that claims the only thing of value is your image. It’s so sad. What can be done but pray?
And just for fun, here are some FUN FACTS for you…
-I often get called “mona” by random people in the streets (it means blonde).
-Sometimes I get the silly pleasure of wearing my backpack backwards (on the front) when on crowded public transportation or out walking at night. Safety first!
-My students all always start their prayers with, “God, thank you for this day. Thank you for all that you have given us.” I have battled in my mind about what I really think of this. Sometimes I get frustrated that their prayers all seem so generated in the way they begin and I’m not sure where they learned it or if is because of the way people pray in Spanish. But, then I think, hey, it’s a great way to start a prayer, giving praise to God for all his provisions, including the blessing of one more day of life!
-Colombians love to go to the mall. You ask them to tell you something to do in the city and they ask, “Have you been to such-and-such mall?” The funny thing is, most people can’t even afford to buy much. Most people just go for an ice cream cone or a meal at the food court or just to hang out. One Sunday afternoon a friend and I met at the food court of our local mall and not one table was open…and it’s not a small food court.
-Every day at 6am and 6pm the Colombian National Anthem plays on the radio and TV! Now that’s patriotism!
-My students have started calling me Miss Thiesencita (Colombians they love to add –cita or other endings to names/words a lot…it literally means “small” but it is simply a way of making a nickname.) Oh, or sometimes they just call me “Miss.” At first I thought that was rude, but I had to come to accept and love that it is just how the culture is. They will say things like, “Miss, I need a pencil.” or “The miss said we are supposed to read.”
-Did you know if you travel by bus you never have to worry about going hungry? Street vendors will hop on the bus with a basket of chips, peanuts, or drinks or ice creams for sale and then hop back off wherever the bus driver leaves them!
-Colombians are very relationship oriented. It is part of the reason why they (and all of South America, really) is known for having no concept or concern about time. It is more important to take the time to speak with people, greeting them properly and asking about them and their family and their life, even if you are already late for a meeting or it’s way past your kids’ bedtime. This past week I was at a family’s house and really got to thinking about this…at 5:00 in the evening me and a friend started saying, “We should be going now…” What time did we leave? 8:30! A 3-hour good-bye!
-Bogota (and other cities in Colombia) have something called Pico y Placa to control traffic. According to your license plate, you are not allowed to drive your car at certain times on certain days. (It is basically the only thing you can get pulled over for in Colombia, HOW you drive doesn’t really matter!) It’s quite interesting though, because even with that, the traffic is ridiculous. Oh, and some people just buy two cars or two license plates to get around the system.
God Sightings/Praises:
-I just got a few night shifts at Fairmount for the summer (a blessing because they weren’t sure they’d have any work for me. Also, I am so glad to start on night shifts because they will be the easiest place to start to get back into the swing of things at work.) Pray that I will continue to pick up some shifts, but also that I will know my limit for how much to take on.
-I enjoyed an ECA student-led worship night a few weeks ago. Many other teachers and community people were also blessed and encouraged by this time of worship.
-I have had some good talks with my sister Steph the last several weeks-PTL! Before now we hadn’t always been in the best communication due to internet problems.
-I am beginning to feel like things are “clicking” a little more with my Spanish acquisition. I have really been enjoying classes and my teachers. However, I still need more courage to speak Spanish outside of class and to not care about making mistakes. There is still so much to learn!
-I have been feeling a little more connected with Colombians lately (It’s been a struggle, because my working environment is basically an American bubble.).
-My students’ families continue to bless me. I have gotten to share meals with two families this month in their homes. Also, we celebrated teacher’s day a few weeks ago which was a big blessing.
-Myself and several other teachers got to visit a top Bilingual school in Bogota for some observation and professional development a few weeks ago. They were very open to sharing with us and we will be getting more training from them next year.
Prayer Requests:
-Pray that teachers and students will end the school year strong.
-Pray for me as I wrap things up here for the year and come home for 7 weeks (saying good-bye to people here; saying hello again to friends, family in the states; reverse culture shock; etc.).
-Pray that I will be able to work and earn a little money this summer (at Fairmount Homes where I’ve worked off and on since high school).
-Pray that I will find time to read some important books this summer to get ready for some curriculum changes next year and also work towards my ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) certification. I also need to read up on PA certification to make sure I don’t fall behind on keeping up with my certification.
-Pray for me as I wrap up grading for the final quarter. This has been one of my biggest struggles (timely grading as well as learning what and how to grade so that grades are a true reflection of effort and ability).
-Pray for the school as they are trying to fill the last few teacher spots and trying to arrange housing for next year.
-Pray for the poor and needy of Colombia. Going on recent ministry trips with groups from school has served as a reminder of the large gaps between social classes in Colombia. There is so much need/hurt in this city of over 7,000,000 people. Pray also that our school will raise up good Christian leaders with a heart for service who can make a difference in this country. Also, this coming week all high school students are participation in service week, serving in different places around Bogota and even outside the city.
-Pray for Colombia as they are still dealing with effects of flooding.
I’d like to leave you with links to two songs that have been really meaningful for me lately. I hope you can be touched and encouraged by them as well:
Love Like an Avalanche: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ2_Gg6ka-k
Sometimes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMs6FjNu8X8
Anyway, so we’re wrapping up the school year fast…just one week of school left! I am excited to be home soon and to catch up with friends and family. But at the same time, this year has felt so fast (It’s really hard to believe that I graduated over a year ago and am now completing a year of teaching and living in another country!)…God is so good! I am just as excited to return for a second year. We’ll see what all God has in store! Once again my mind wonders to, “Wow, God! If someone told me this a year ago I might have laughed!” He is always surprising and amazing me. His ways are so high above me.
I look forward to seeing many of you soon!
Love, Sophie
